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Conversations with the Avatar on Avatar Declaration Day…

Sri Sathya Sai in Sai Kulwant Hall

Friday, October 20, 2000

Swami came for the evening Darshan at 3.00 pm. When Swami came near the students in the third block, the Higher Secondary School students showed a card on the occasion of the Avatar Declaration Day. Swami was a little annoyed and told the School Warden, Sri K. Janardhanan that students should not waste their time in making cards.

Around 3.50 pm, Swami came again to the Ganesh Portico. On the way, Swami stood near the bronze lion for some time resting His shoulder on its head, giving joy to all.

Swami:It is not yet four. Bangalore boys (students from the Brindavan Campus) have not come. (Swami called the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Warden – Dr. Siva Sankara Sai) Boys should not waste their time making such things (cards). Time is very valuable. They should not waste it. Time waste is life waste. Let them not waste time doing such things. Let them study well and get good marks. If there is no work, then they can do (such activities).

Not every time. (Saying so, Swami sat in the chair. To Prof. Anil Kumar) In Puttaparthi itself 5,000 have given names for the saris. In Kothacheruvu 10,000. Even in Subbamma Nagar (a colony near Gokulam) 50 have given their names. All are not poor. For those people in Subbamma Nagar, I have built houses; and for two of them, I have performed their marriage and also given them money. Will I ever perform marriage without giving money? They are telling that they don’t have even food to eat and are giving their names. When asked, they say, when Swami is giving what is your problem? World has become like that. (Swami was unhappy that even those who can afford to buy clothes try to grab the clothes that are to be given to the poor people.) Satyam Jana Virodhaya, Asatyam Janaranjanam (People find truth to be bitter, and falsehood very pleasing).

Prof. A. K.:Peda Buddhi (Mean-minded), Swami. Even when they have, they say they don’t have!

Brindavan Warden:Swami, there should have been a cyclone, but You removed it.

Swami:(Smilingly) Ah! Mission completed. In London, they are forming a Sri Sathya Sai Science and Technology Center. They are investing Rs.20 crores. It is for spreading Human Values through computers in the villages. Government asked them whether they are a religious organisation. They said that they are not religious but spiritual organisation.

Prof. A. K.:Swami, it is not political also.

Swami:It is not even religious. (Swami went on to describe the current political situation and the degeneration of values.) People don’t give any value to their own words. A man who does not give value to his word is almost life-less. Signature is the life (Pranam) to a note (document). Similarly, value of one’s words is life (Pranam) for a man.

Prof. A. K.:Swami, may be there is no value in politics.

Swami:What ‘may be’ ! Absolutely no value ! (After spending around half-an-hour and giving joy to everyone, Swami went back to interview room and came back to the Ganesh portico at 5.00 pm. Swami sat in the chair and started reading a letter that He was holding. Pointing out a phrase in the letter) What is this ‘HeavenlyFather’?

B. Warden:Swami, it is a Christian concept, they call God as ‘Heavenly Father’.

Swami noticed students coming out of the Old Boys Hostel and told Brindavan Warden to see. But when he turned towards the Hostel he could not find any one there.

Swami:Watch, they will come again. (To Prof. Anil Kumar) If Veerappan takes you, what will you do?

Prof. A. K.:(After a brief pause) Swami, I will get him also here. (Everyone laughed.)

B. Warden:Swami, he (Prof. Anil Kumar) will transform him.

Prof. A. K.:No, Swami, I will drag him and get him here.

Swami:(All through Swami was also watching the Old Students Hostel and when one more boy came out, He pointed out to the Brindavan Warden.) See, one more boy. When they come here, they keep eating as much as they want.

B. Warden:Yes, Swami, in North Indian canteen, evedryday there are six varieties of sweets.

Swami:In Hostel?

B. Warden:Swami, we make sweets twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays. North Indian Canteen food is very good, Swami.

Swami:In Hostel you can make sweets dialy. But it will become costly.

B. Warden:(Then Swami pointed out a few of the Brindavan students and enquired from the Warden about their academic performances and grades. When Swami asked about a boy) Swami, he got ‘O’ grade.

Swami:In all subjects?.

B. Warden:No, Swami, 4.5 and above is ‘O’ grade. If one gets ‘O’ grade in all subjects, then he will get 5. He missed ‘O’ grade in one subject.

Swami:Mari? (Then?)

B. Warden:Swami, here the students are in good environment. Along with education, they also learn many good things.

Swami:Boys come only for marks. But they should not get any remarks. Education without values is like the dust collecter used after sweeping the house and for being kept in a corner (Chettha). No use. Here also on seeing any one sitting idle, people would say - “Don’t sit idle like Chettha(used for winnowing).” (When Swami asked the grade of one more student, the Warden told the grade and added that the student had improved in his grades to a large extent from his first year.) Yes, in the first year it will be like that only. They are new (to the place and system).

(To Prof. Anil Kumar) Where did you study?

Prof. A. K.:Swami, both school and college I did in Guntur. Postgraduation, I did in Visakhapatnam.

Swami:(Smilingly) You should study here to become a Master. Some people pronounce it as ‘Maaster’. In those days, masters were given respect. If they are walking on the street, no boy would walk in front of them. They used to bend their head and walk. When I was in Kamalapuram, we had a teacher, H. S. Ramana. He used to use a walking stick.

(Swami showed by gesture, how he used to swing his walking stick while walking.) He was very strict. If anyone does any wrong, he used to beat them with the stick, on the knuckles and knee. When he found boys seeing here and there, he would say that eyes are not given to see here and there.

B. Warden:Swami, in those days, in the foundation stage itself the right way was shown.

Swami:Yes, one of his students is an I.A.S. officer. He was My classmate and he came here. I gave him an interview. He told Me that he is very lucky. I asked him, “Why?” He replied, “Because I was Your classmate.” I remember all of them. A few days back, while going in the car, I saw one of My old classmates. I stopped the car and called him, ‘Jwala Reddy!’ He was very happy. We were classmates 60 years back. (That day Brindavan Warden also went with Swami in the car and he very joyfully acknowledged. Swami also mentioned about another classmate whom He identified immediately though they had met after a very long time. Swami called him by his name, while on His way to a nearby town.) While studying in Bukkapatnam, when the lunch bell used to ring, we all would go to the lake and everyone would sit around Me. I used to distribute Sankati (Ragi) to all of them. But I never took anything from them.

B. Warden:Swami, is it that people who can afford don’t eat Ragi in those days?

Swami:No, they eat only in home. Outside they will take only rice.

(Mentioning about a person) In those days drinking coffee was a prestige. Therefore, he used to take cold water but act as if he is taking hot coffee. (Swami showed how he would make sound with his mouth as if he is relishing coffee.) Bukkapatnam Sathyanarayana was one year senior to Me.

Prof. A. K.:Swami, he was Anantapur District President (Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation). I used to go with him to nearby places and he used to give very good speeches. (Prof. Anil Kumar mentioned a name of a town, Kallur, which is famous for Pakoda. But Swami said that He doesn’t know about that place).

Swami:In Bukkapatnam also one Muslim woman used to make Pakodas and sell. There was one teacher by name Acharya. He also used to buy them and eat in the School. All the children would also buy from her. But I never used to go. Seeing Me not coming to her, she once asked, “Raju, why don’t You come?” I told her, “When I need, I will come.” (Swami said this very gently.)

After reminiscing some of the fond memories of His childhood days and school days, Swami went back to the interview room.

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Sathya Sai with Students is a unique compilation dedicated to the most cherished moments that the students of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning were blessed to have with the Revered Founder Chancellor, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba during their stay at the Institute. This blog is divided into 6 different parts focussing on 6 different facets of these interactions. Our endeavour is to collate these precious memories and present them to the readers, so that the Love of Swami for His students can be experienced by all through these writings. This blog is maintained by the Sai Publications Division of Sri Sathya Sai Hostel for Senior Students.